Wren 300 Symposium

Kindly organised by Wadham's 1610 Society, the Wren 300 Symposium commemorated Wren as a living legacy - as somebody who provokes thought and continues to inspire, not only as an architect but as a polymath. The conference’s image of Wren meeting Warhol reflects Wren’s continued relevance to the modern world.

Taking place at nearly the exact point, 300 years later, that Wren arrived at Wadham, the conference explored the range of Wren’s intellectual activity. As Jane Garnett (Fellow & Tutor in History) explained, the University Wren walked into was a place where undergraduates covered a very broad curriculum. Not only was it “interdisciplinary”, but the disciplines were themselves porous. At Wadham in particular, Warden John Wilkins embraced all sorts of connected areas of thought. Wren’s diverse passions were fostered in this environment.

Speakers at the Symposium addressed these themes from multiple angles and a selection of sessions are now available to view below. The event was also a reflection on what it means to leave a legacy, and Colin Drummond (president of the 1610 Society) summed up the final session with a thoughtful intervention on the important role we all play as custodians of the legacy of Wadham College.

Find out further information on leaving a bequest to Wadham in your will and joining the 1610 Society.

Wren's earliest letters, written during his time at Wadham (and later at All Souls College) can be compared to his correspondence in later life. The contrast shows how a young man who was first fascinated by the New Science of the 17th century, grew over time into an outstanding civil servant. As Wren aged, he became more and more preoccupied by duty to the Crown and the Anglican Church, rather than with the pursuit of knowledge.

An exploration of Islamic influence in key European monuments can illuminate Wren's theory that "the Gothic Style should more rightly be called the Saracen Style", as evidenced by his own designs.

The iconographic and other challenges that confront contemporary architects when building near Wren's major works, with reference to St Paul's Cathedral, St Bride's Church, Pembroke College, Cambridge, and the Royal Hospital, Chelsea.